When Depression is in your bed

What happens when your relationship requires so much of you that there's nothing left for yourself? For two decades of my marriage, I poured everything into caring for my depressed partner, losing myself in the process. But a profound shift occurred when I finally asked: "Can I deeply love and care for myself and continue in this relationship?"

This question emerged during a perfect storm in my life—turning ...

Are you caught in relationship limbo, seeing all the problems but unsure if you really want to leave? The very focus on what's wrong might be precisely what's keeping you stuck. 

When we're in pain, we develop what I call "stubbed toe syndrome" – one part hurts so badly that we forget the rest feels fine. Similarly, in troubled relationships, especially those affected by depression, we become fixat...

Why do we stay in relationships that don't fulfill us? What invisible forces bind us to partners even when our conscious mind desires change? The answer lies beneath the surface of awareness, in the powerful realm of unconscious attachment patterns formed decades ago.

This deep-dive exploration uncovers the second question in my seven-question framework for making conscious relationship decisions: understanding the un...

Have you been thinking about ending your relationship but something keeps holding you back? You're not alone. This raw and thoughtful exploration unpacks the invisible barriers that keep us stuck in relationships we're contemplating leaving.

Drawing from 20 years of personal experience in a relationship complicated by depression, I walk through the first of my seven-question framework designed to clarify relation...

What if those recurring thoughts about leaving your relationship aren't actually telling you to leave, but instead signaling something deeper happening in your nervous system?

In this vulnerable exploration of relationship indecision, I share my own experience of contemplating divorce "more times than I could count" over twenty years of being in a relationship affected by depression. Through this journey, I&...

Caught in the mental tug-of-war between staying in your relationship or finally walking away? When depression complicates an already difficult decision, finding clarity can feel impossible. Drawing from both professional expertise as an Imago Relationship Therapist and deeply personal experience navigating a 20-year relationship affected by depression, Trish Sanders offers a transformative framework for making conscious relationshi...

When I met Ben on Match.com, it was the early 2000s and online dating still carried warnings about meeting axe murderers. Both lonely in New York City, we connected over coffee that turned into a nine-hour adventure across the city. That meeting launched what I fondly call our "Summer of Love" – those magical first months where we experienced what Imago Relationship Therapists call "joyful aliveness."  The phase...

Are you exhausted by how much effort you've put in trying to figure out how to help yourself or your partner move out of depression?  Are you sick of the struggle?  Are you longing to finally figure out this seemingly impossible puzzle??  Look no further, the missing piece that will help your whole picture come together is here!  This episode invites you into the transformative world of Polyvagal Theory, a concept that reveals...

Talking about depression can often lead to what feels like a dead-end, a place in which we understand that someone feels bad, but not necessarily what can be done to help.  This may lead to feelings of isolation, frustration, hopelessness and more.  But what can be possible if we reframe the conversation and increase awareness of what is truly happening in the experience of depression?  Join host, Trish Sanders, as she navigates th...

Imagine feeling disconnected from everything and everyone around you, even yourself. This episode, hosted by Trish Sanders, embarks on a journey to unravel the complexities of depression by examining how it manifests beyond clinical labels, through personal insights and professional perspectives. You'll gain an understanding of depression's many faces—how it can arise from life events like loss or transitions, and how it ...

In this second part of "What to Expect," the focus is on how to use this podcast in a way that increases the chances of the listener successfully applying the information obtained into their own relationship and life.  The host, Trish Sanders, aims to empower the listen to tap into their inner knowing so they may be attuned to what they truly need on their healing journey.  There is no need to travel a healing journey all...

This episode is packed with a variety of information to help build a supportive foundation on which to do meaningful, successful relationship work.  This is the first of a two part series, "What to Expect".  The host, Trish Sanders, is aware that people who tune in to When Depression is in Your Bed may bring expectations (consciously or not) for her, the podcast, themselves or their partner.  Addressing these expectations...

In this first episode, the host, Trish Sanders, shares how though she has lived with depression for most of her life, she has also managed to hold hope, which has led to many learnings about how to live a more joyful life.  Wanting to share these learnings and perspectives led her to create the When Depression is in Your Bed Podcast.  Trish explains that how after decades of experiencing persistent depression, she declared, "S...

Welcome to the When Depression is in your bed Podcast!  Please listen to the trailer to find out what to expect when we launch our first full episode on January 29, 2025.  Enjoy!

- If you are looking to take the first step towards improving your connection and communication with your partner, check out this FREE monthly webinar on "Becoming a Conscious Couple,".

- If you and your partner are ready to co-create the...